Ross speaks on topics including Indonesia, Bali, Cancer and wellness. Also on social matters within our community.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

'Complementary' choices must play a vital role for cancer patients

Imagine, just
for a moment the following discussion between a young mother and her
doctor.............

Doctor: “I am sorry to tell you that you have
breast cancer, and it appears to have spread to yourbones.”

Patient:“But
I am only 31 and I have a husband and two young kids?”

Doctor: “I understand how you must feel and that is
why we need to act quickly. I have arranged for you to see a surgeon on Monday.
You will need to have a mastectomy – that is your left breast removed-
immediately and then we will follow-up with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.”

Patient: “I’m not sure what that is but anyway, what
is my prognosis”.

Doctor: “It is hard to say, but I would suggest we
have a 50-50 chance of giving you a reasonable chance of survival. Now is there
anything else I can help you with?”

Patient: “Err, no. Thank you and I will see the
surgeon on Monday, yes?”

With that,
the terrified and shattered mother and wife, walks into the waiting room and
collapses into the arms of her equally devastated husband.

The above scenario
sadly is played out daily in Perth cancer clinics but it is what happens next
that is truly frightening.....

Despite
telling her doctor that she had ‘no further questions’, the young woman’s head
is literally ‘spinning’ with a thousand unanswered questions and concerns. Desperate
to ‘do something’ the husband then gets onto ‘Dr Google’ via the internet to
look for ways in which to help his wife ‘fight’ this terrible disease.

Within
minutes he is confronted with thousands of ‘alternative’ and 'natural' therapies offered by cancer
‘gurus’ who offer a ‘cure’ for all types of cancer...at a price of course! And
when people are threatened, confused and frozen with fear they will do almost
anything to ‘live’...including paying large amounts of money for so called
‘miracle cures’.

In some
cases, including several high profile cases reported in The West Australian last year, the end result is
not only the loss of the patient’s money but also a horrible, and frightening experience.

So what
should we do as a community to stop this happening?

A senior Australian
coroner has previously suggested the government should legislate against
so-called ‘natural therapies’. This is a classic case of ‘throwing the baby out
with the bath water’ as it is based on a lack of understanding of the
difference between the cancer charlatans - who promise ‘quick-fix’ and
expensive cures – and the high quality cancer support groups that bless us here
in Perth; and who offer practical and proven complementary therapies and lifestyle choices that can be of immense benefit to patients and their carers’.

So let’s revisit
that earlier conversation between the doctor and the young women, and let’s
assume the doctor is well-informed and genuinely wants to not only help his patient but also protect her from the charlatans waiting
outside his door......

Doctor:‘Now
before you leave, I must say that I am sure what has happened today will cause a
huge upheaval for you and your family and I understand that this news is
devastating for you.”

Doctor: “I can refer you to one of the very fine
cancer support charities that operate here in Perth. They are not in the
business of promising you a magical cure or an alternative to what I have
recommended for you, but they can help you - and your partner - to develop strategies to improve
your general and mental health. This can be done through improved nutrition,
attending support groups and also using therapies such as meditation to reduce
stress and anxiety instead of Valium. But most of all they can help you both
feel that you-along with me as your doctor- can really play an important part
in your goal to get well again.”

Sadly
however, most cancer specialists in their desire to ‘protect’ their patients
from the charlatans, fail to refer their patients to these cancer support
groups here in Perth; unintentionally sending their patients into the arms of
those they need to avoid.

In Perth,
our cancer support charities that are amongst the best in the world; who have
the capacity to work ‘in harmony’ with the medical practitioners to improve the
cancer ‘journey’ and achieve the best outcome for their patient and family.

The Cancer
Council of WA; Solaris Cancer Care, MelanomaWA,
Cancer Support-WA andBreast Cancer Care-WA
are just a few of the excellent organisations available to patients at very
little or no cost. They practise ‘complementary’, rather than ‘alternative’
therapies. Together with cancer specialists they can make an enormous
difference to the one in three people who are diagnosed with cancer by the age
of 75.

All that we
need to do is to encourage doctors to refer their patients to these organisations,
and to also convince coroners’ that
there is a huge, and critical, difference between the two types of, what he calls,
natural therapies!

Ross
Taylor is a cancer survivor and the author of “Living Simply with Cancer’ and
“Creating Health...Yourself”. He holds senior honorary roles in a number of
leading cancer support charities throughout WA and has lectured on the subject
through Australia and Asia.